Why are our nails this color? Ask Chanel's Peter Philips

Over the last year or so, it seems like every stylish woman I know has been wearing a kind of putty colored, beigey-grayish nail polish. In fact, even I, something of a nail traditionalist -- one might say a bore with my same-old, same-old French manicure -- succumbed and started sporting the color.

Why? Where did this craze for this particular color come from?

Most likely from Chanel Makeup, and specifically from its global creative director, Peter Philips. Philips discovered the color blend accidentally, dubbed it Particuliere and used it on models' nails at Chanel's runway show in October 2009 showcasing designer Karl Lagerfeld's women's ready-to-wear collection for spring-summer 2010.

Chanel is among the most influential taste-makers in the world of makeup, so of course the color caught on and was used and copied everywhere.  Our Booth Moore had a chance to talk with Philips about his three-year tenure with the company and about what we'll find on makeup shelves next. Read about it here. 

As for me, I'm going for a manicure!

--Susan Denley

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Photo: Chanel Le Vernis nail polish, one of the products created by Peter Philips, global creative director of Chanel makeup. Credit: Chanel.